A group of Cambridge residents are launching an appeal to help feed refugees evicted from the Jungle camp in Calais.

The Cambridge Calais Refugee Action Group (CamCRAG) was formed last autumn and its supporters have since raised £30,000 with a major event at the Guildhall in Cambridge, comedy nights, gigs, tea parties, sponsored sleep-outs, and more. This money has been spent on food, generators, tents, sleeping bags, lanterns and building materials for the refugee camp.

So far the group has taken 250 people to Calais on its regular convoys and more volunteers are coming forward all the time to get involved.

The group is now launching an appeal for £10,000 – enough to feed the 10,000 residents in the camp for one week.

Lara Brettell, CamCRAG chair, said: “CamCRAG was formed because a group of people in Cambridge felt they could no longer sit by and watch as desperate people from war-torn countries across the globe arrived on our doorstep.

“It has been so heartwarming to see the compassionate way people have responded, volunteering for our convoys, raising money in their communities, schools, churches and mosques and donating clothes, food and shelters.

“But the situation in Calais is now worse than ever. Amongst the thousands of people arriving from Syria, Eritrea, Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq over the summer, there are more than 1,000 children, most without family to care for them. And they are about to be thrown into chaos as the French Government is set to move in and dismantle the camp.

“So we’re launching our biggest appeal yet – we’re asking Cambridge to help raise £10,000, enough to feed the camp’s residents for one week. We will continue to send convoys to Calais as long as help is needed, and with this money we will take food to help run the volunteer run kitchens which provide a healthy hot meal every day. Please donate what you can, or why not organise a fundraising event in your community to help us reach our total.”

CamCRAG is holding an event to celebrate the first anniversary at the Hot Numbers Café on Gwydir St in Cambridge on October 12 from 7pm with food, live music and speakers. Entry is free and donations are welcome.